Injuries Board
Cryptosporidiosis – Galway (2)
Galway City was due a new water treatment plant. The Minister for the Environment, whose job it is to make provision for such facilities, claims he provided the necessary finance in 2002 for the purpose. He claims the Galway local authority, failed to draw down the money and the Mayor is not fit to hold his job (the Mayor’s, not the Minister’s), on the grounds that the Mayor did not know of the Minister’s fund for the plant. The Minister’s […]
Personal Injury – Pressure while diving or tunnelling
For Employers’ duties see HERE Pressure is experienced most commonly in diving and tunnelling. Commercial diving and tunnelling are very dangerous occupations in themselves without the designed, pressured environment representing a further hazard to the worker. Tunnelling is also performed under pressure in an enclosed chamber, called a caisson, at the face of the tunnelling. The caisson keeps out underground water. Divers suffering from “the bends” are the stuff of emergencies in comic books; unfortunately it can happen in real […]
Personal Injury – Chemicals
For Employers’ duties see HERE Chemical-induced effects on the human body are of infinite variety, depending on the chemical, the level of exposure, the length and type of exposure and the constitution of the victim. In addition, if exposure to more than one chemical occurs, the chemicals may together have a different and amplified effect than that which they would have singly (“Synergy”). The following is a list of possible hazardous properties of chemicals ; • Corrosive • Explosive • […]
Cryptosporidiosis – Galway: A Case Study in Drinking Water
The source of the outbreak of parasitic illness in Galway has been confirmed; it is the public water supply. The responsibility for the management of the public water supply rests with the sanitary authority, that is, with Galway County Council/ Galway City Council. Under Section 58 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 sanitary authorities are subject to obligation to report to the Agency the quality of drinking water in their area of jurisdiction. The Agency has, pursuant to the […]
Personal Injury – Chemicals & Metals Generally
Chemicals & Metals See HERE for the Employers’ duties The chemical industry, worldwide. has expanded enormously in quantity of output since the beginning of the last century. The variety of its products has increased considerably since the end of the Second World War. Worldwide, the industry generates turnover of $1,000 billion every year. In addition to this enormous turnover, it regularly shifts product emphasis, accelerating the production and variety of some types of chemicals and shedding others. The industry focused […]
MRSA and friend
Galwayâs drinking water, supposedly, has been compromised by Cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidiosis is a disease caused by a parasite, a Scheduled biological agent under the Infectious Diseases (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations (S.I. No. 707 of 2003) and Safety, Health And Welfare At Work (Biological Agents) (Amendment) Regulations, 1998 (S.I. No. 248/1998). It shares this status with, inter alia, Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcus aureus, in its evolved form of âMethicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureusâ? is known as MRSA. The Cryptosporidiosis cases are said to be […]
Personal Injury – Asbestos
Mesothelioma is a form of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Typically, persons contracting it in their employment have worked for more than one employer in an industry resulting in exposure to asbestos. Therefore a cause of action may lie against all the employers. This liability will be joint and several; ie even if only one employer still subsists, that employer will be fully liable subject to the principle in Brett v Reading University, CA (Civ Div) 14/02/2007 Here, the […]
Personal Injury – Asbestos 2
See HERE for the Employers’ duties Just before Germany was re-unified the East German parliament building was closed to further use. The reason was not the redundancy of the parliament, it was the level of asbestos used in the construction of the building and it’s then condition. There are many buildings which share this feature with the parliament building, but they are not closed down. The reason is the overwhelming number of uses asbestos was put to and the ubiquitousness […]
Personal Injury – Construction
Construction For Employers’ duties see HERE According to a report in 1990 from an advisory group of employers, trade unions, the National Industrial Safety Organisation and the Health and Safety Authority Inspectorate, the main causes of building accidents, are cost-cutting, lack of control over sub-contractors and time-saving measures. The study showed, in the case of the sample of incidents reviewed, that 20% involved falls; 20% involved ladders or scaffolds; 11% involved contact with power lines; 9% involved collapse of trenches. […]
Personal Injury – Skin Disease
Accidents at Work – Skin Disease For Employer’s Duties see HERE It is generally agreed that skin disease is the commonest occupationally-caused disease. According to the United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive it accounted for 59% of all reported occupational disease in 1978-79. This reflects the Irish experience in proportional terms, although the total Irish figures are deceptively low. Although the skin is a remarkable and complex organ, the stresses applied to it in some workplaces are extreme and it […]